It is good to thank people and to appreciate what they do. It is also good to admire people based upon their past words and actions. But taking that admiration and using it to require a person to achieve, and maintain, perfection is very bad for everyone.
Everyone has their own definition of perfection. The first definition of perfect in some dictionaries is "complete". Something that is perfect is complete. While I can certainly see that definition as possible, it is my opinion that most people define perfect as being without a flaw. Perhaps it is possible to have a flawless diamond, or a flawless speech but, once again, we are back to the individual definitions of "flaw". Maybe that diamond is flawless according to the evaluation lists for a gemologist but some person expects to be able to see a "Pink Panther" within the gem and, otherwise, it is not perfect.
When people set a goal for themselves of perfection -- and do not give themselves credit for what they achieve short of that goal -- then it is an endless cycle of labors. Fear of mistakes and imperfection can cause additional hurdles to overcome even when doing what would normally be considered an easy job.
I remember one time while driving in Boulder, Colorado, I was driving behind a car driving about 10 mph under the speed limit (which is actually illegal in most states). We reached the corner and the separated right turn lane had a "Yield" warning sign by it. But there was almost no traffic -- certainly nothing to yield for. As I examined the situation noticing the lack of traffic, I bumped into the car ahead of me which had stopped at the "Yield" sign. There were no injuries to either person or automobile as I was moving at about 3 or 4 mph. But it certainly shocked me as well as the driver ahead of me. They came out of the car frantic to see what damage had been done (luckily none had been). It turned out that he had borrowed the car from his girlfriend and he was driving "extra careful" to make sure there were no problems. That "extra careful" meant he was exceeding safety margins and creating a more dangerous situation rather than a safer one.
People are humans. They make mistakes. They are meant to make mistakes from which they can learn. In the technical arena, learning within ML or AI is a process of recognizing mistakes and refining knowledge until mistakes become less and less.
As in the movie "White Christmas", putting someone on a pedestal (whether they are a "white knight" or not) is what often can happen -- especially in the early stages of a relationship. And that can easily end the relationship even earlier than otherwise (perhaps, otherwise, it might not have even ended). Some day, perhaps, they will invent a Super Glue that allows humans to stay up on top of those pedestals.
But don't hold your breath for it.
